Conventional peanut and other nut butters consist of a mixture of solid nut particles, liquid oil, and flavorants, e.g. a sweetener such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup or honey, and salt. Peanut butter is made by roasting raw peanut kernels and then blanching and grinding them. The comminuted nut particles are suspended in the oil from the nut (or added oil) to form a product having a pasty and spreadable consistency. In time, however, part of the oil separates from the product and forms a separate layer on the top of the peanut butter and a rigid crumbly mass underneath. This tendency of peanut butter to separate on standing can be overcome to some extent by the use of stabilizers. Stabilizers are generally partially hydrogenated or highly hydrogenated fats and oils or other emulsifiers.
Peanut butters typically contain about 50% oil and about 50% solids. The stabilizer is usually added at a level of 0.5% to 3% by weight. Salt and sugar can be added to improve the flavor.
The spreadability and perceived stickiness (tendency of the peanut butter to adhere or stick to the roof of one's mouth and its resistance to breakdown during chewing) are highly sensitive to the fat content of peanut butter. The lower the fat content, the harder the product is to spread and the greater is the stickiness perception. Consequently, reduction of the fat content by 25% or more (to about 37% of the peanut butter) while maintaining acceptable texture has not been achieved.
Analysis of current peanut butter products shows the particle size distribution of the peanut solids to be primarily two different ranges. One distribution curve is composed of particles in the range of from about 18 to about 118 microns, with the central portion of the distribution being between about 24 and 118 microns in size. The second particle size distribution range is primarily between about 3 microns and about 14 microns with the major distribution being between 5 microns and 11 microns. This distribution is bimodal, i.e., two distribution curves which overlap.
The process herein produces nut solids having a particle size in which the major distribution (80% or more) of particles is a single particle size range of 18 microns or less, and preferably wherein 90% of the particles are less than 13 microns. Surprisingly, with these small particles, the product is acceptable in both spreadability and stickiness while being very smooth. This smoothness requires that the particles be well mixed with the remaining oil. The milling and smearing process herein results in a peanut butter with a lower fat level while providing a product equivalent to a full fat nut butter in taste and spreadability. Full fat products made with these milled solids are creamier and smoother than conventional full fat nut butters.
As the fat level in peanut butter is reduced, the protein level is increased since the peanut solids level of the product increases.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to lower the fat level of peanut butter and other nut butters without loss in its flavor and texture compared to conventional products.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process for efficiently producing peanut and other nut solids wherein the major portion of the solids has a particle size of less than 18 microns and also wherein 90% of the particles are less than 13 microns in size.
A third object is to make a peanut butter which contains bulking agents, e.g. fibers, or other additives, but which maintains the smooth creamy texture of peanut butter.
It is also an object of this invention to make a whipped peanut butter which is low in fat but which tastes like a full fat peanut butter and which does not collapse, i.e. lose the gas over time.
These and other objects will become apparent from the description below.
All percentages of compositions herein are by weight unless otherwise noted.
All particle size distributions are by volume percent.